10 Common Dieting "Tricks" That Are Actually Dangerous

Real talk: If weight loss were as easy as a bunch of teas, cleanses and powders, wouldn't we all be trying them by now?! No matter how strong your willpower is, sipping chalky shakes billed as "meals" is its own brand of cruel and unusual punishment. Here are some top diet "tricks" that you should probably avoid.

Getty Images

Ambiguous Protein Shakes

The proteins, sweeteners and other obscure contents can make you gassy, bloated and in need of the nearest bathroom. Plus, the FDA doesn't evaluate the safety and efficacy of dietary supplements like most powders and blends. But the real kicker is that one or two of these "magic drinks" higher in calories than what you might've eaten otherwise.

Although Beyonce's done the Master Cleanse before, drinking only water, maple syrup, red pepper flakes and lemon juice won't turn you into Bey. This virtually zero-calorie elixir will make you lose weight, but also deprive you of the energy to do absolutely anything except maybe vomit. Queen B may be a "Survivor," but living life becomes extremely hard when your sole source of calories is a condiment.

3 of 11

Getty Images

Intermittent Fasting

Some studies have shown that intermittent fasting (and modified versions of it) may have health benefits, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's a good (or safe!) idea for you. Not eating can make you not only cranky, but also nauseous and dehydrated. It can even cause weight gain in the long term, since periods of fasting can decrease your metabolism over time.

4 of 11

Getty Images

Ketogenic Diet

This popular high-fat, low-carb diet aims to initiate ketosis, when your body primarily burns fat for energy instead of carbs. Some versions budget less than 10% of your total calories for carbs and protein, which may be great if you like to eat bacon and butter for every single meal. But some food for thought: Ketogenic diets are used for some seizure disorders untreatable with many medications. My point? If an extreme diet can affect brain chemistry, it may be too extreme for you.

5 of 11

Getty Images

One Food Diets

The mushroom diet, the cookie diet, the grapefruit diet ... even if you absolutely lovethe one thing they're telling you to eat, the risks are real. Cutting out food groups can prime you for nutrient deficiencies, potentially leading to short- and long-term health complications.

6 of 11

Getty Images

Military Diet

This diet limits you to 1,000 calories per day, which only works if you're 4'8" tall or asleep 24/7. Menu offerings like saltines, toast and canned tuna already sound so plain, but eating so little of them can also backfire. It can slow down metabolism over time, pushing you to gain weight in the long run. More immediate dangers include hypoglycemia, dizziness and fainting.

7 of 11

Getty Images

"Doctor-monitored" Cleanses

Many so-called "physician-formulated" products can interact with other medications, without the research or FDA evaluation to back them up. Avoid medical professionals who tout cleansing or call themselves "nutritionists." Legit MDs know the kind of education required to be a Registered Dietitian (RD/RDN) and can refer you appropriately.

8 of 11

Getty Images

Charcoal and Clay

People on social media love to hype clay and charcoal drinks for detoxing. And while hospitals do use charcoal to removehighly toxic substances in life-threatening situations, for the average healthy adult, it's triage on your intestines. They'll only make you constipated — an outcome not typically desired in a cleanse.

9 of 11

Getty Images

HCG Diet

HCG stands for "human chorionic gonadotropin," a hormone produced during pregnancy. This diet has you inject it into your body, and follow ridiculous restrictions like eating 800 calories per day, rationing a single vegetable per meal and avoiding exercise. These extreme measures only cause more harm than good. Potential side effects include gallstones, arrhythmia and neurological deficits.

Jaclyn London, MS, RD, CDN, Good Housekeeping InstituteDirector, Nutrition LabA registered dietitian with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwestern University and a Master of Science degree in Clinical Nutrition from New York University, Jaclyn “Jackie” London handles all of Good Housekeeping’s nutrition-related content, testing, and evaluation.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.